Present control systems for electric powertrains typically use multiple wires for controlling and communicating to each electronic switch within a power electronics module. The multiple wires, each of which may be critical, may be unreliable due to external noise, ground loops or other failures. Furthermore, the amount of wiring in conventional wiring systems for electric powertrains typically makes it difficult to remotely place electronic control modules that control the signals sent to the power electronic modules.
One method of increasing the reliability of communication signals in a powertrain, while allowing for remote placement of electronic control modules, is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,269,491 (the '491 patent) issued to Katrak et al. The '491 patent discloses an engine management system including an engine control module and a transmission control module that are connected to a vehicle data bus. The '491 patent allows for the serialization of the vehicle data bus, which may reduce the amount of wiring in the engine management system. The '491 patent further discloses a second dedicated data bus, which may also be serialized, connecting the transmission control module to the engine control module, wherein the engine control module and the transmission control module perform processor validity and integrity checks over the dedicated data bus.
Because the engine management system of the '491 patent discloses an engine control module and a transmission control module that perform processor validity and integrity checks over the dedicated data bus, the reliability of communication signals in a powertrain may be improved. In addition, since the engine management system of the '491 patent may employ serialization for each data bus, the amount of wiring in a powertrain may be reduced, thereby allowing for remote placement of electronic control modules. Although the engine management system in the '491 patent may increase the reliability of communication signals in engine control and transmission control modules, the engine management system in the '491 patent may not allow for the increase in reliability for commutation and communication signals directed towards the electronic switches in a power electronics module. For example, the electronic assembly in the '491 patent may not provide a way to serialize/de-serialize the commutation and communication signals coupled to the electronic switches in a power electronics module.
The disclosed system is directed to overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above.